▲ Kim Yong-beom, the presidential chief of staff for policy, briefs on President Lee Jae Myung's meeting with Open AI CEO Sam Altman in this Oct. 1, 2025, file photo. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) presidential office-US trade talks

(LEAD) Presidential policy chief, industry minister to visit Washington for follow-up tariff talks

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SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- The presidential chief of staff for policy, Kim Yong-beom, and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan will depart for Washington this week for follow-up tariff negotiations, officials said Wednesday, with the talks expected to focus on details of South Korea's US$350 billion investment package.

Presidential chief of staff for policy Kim, who plans to head for the United States on Thursday, is scheduled to meet with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a presidential official said, without elaborating on the schedule.

Separately, the industry minister will also head for Washington on Thursday for tariff negotiations, according to ministry officials.

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac told reporters the upcoming visit is part of Seoul's efforts to make "meaningful progress" in the ongoing trade talks with Washington before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, to be held in the southeastern city of Gyeongju in late October.

In a separate briefing, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said the delegation's visit is aimed at consultations with U.S. officials on the "financial package" related to the tariff negotiations.

Their visit comes as South Korea and the U.S. have reported little progress over details of the $350 billion package of investment in principle as the two nations agreed on a framework deal in July to lower U.S. tariffs against South Korean goods.

Seoul has demanded Washington establish a currency swap deal because such a direct investment could trigger a financial crisis without safeguards.

On Monday, the presidential office said the U.S. has shown a response on some revised proposals in trade talks, possibly including Seoul's investment pledge, after Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told a parliamentary audit that the government is reviewing an alternative proposal by Washington on how Seoul would finance the investment package.

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